November 2022 - ERIC KIM ₿

Only Losers Drive Teslas

If you really want to flex, get a Rolls-Royce instead.

November 13, 2022

Visual Thinker

I am a visual thinker â€” when I need to think, and I diagram it visually, I can think better.

Apple calendar visual thinking workshop dates

November 13, 2022

How Samsung can become cool

We all know that Apple, Apple devices are the best. Yet when it comes to competitors like Samsung, how can Samsung become cool and sexy?

My first thought is this; optimize and prioritize Samsung galaxy phones to be optimized for vlogging. This is a good strategy, as the native YouTube app works much better on android, when compared to Apple. There should be some sort of marketing focus that you could directly upload videos to YouTube directly from your phone, with the native YouTube android app.

Also, the colors need to be more unique. Also, Samsung should better focus that they are actually a Korean company, as Korean is cool and sexy now. For example, using Korean colors like Joseon Dynasty green, or KIMSEJEONG red.

Bixby?

It is not too late. Samsung must change the name of their digital assistant. Ainâ€™t nobody could pronounce the word â€œBixbyâ€. Maybe call her â€œSammieâ€ (sounds like Samsung, and Samantha.) Or just â€œSamâ€.

Simplify the lineup?

Nobody cares for the Samsung tablets. Just axe the line. Just double down on focus on smart phones.

November 13, 2022

THE CULT OF YOU.

November 13, 2022

When darker is more interesting and mysterious

Photos that I have shot of Seneca, which tend to be very very dark, tend to be more interesting, there is more mystery in the photos.

November 13, 2022

The Achillesâ€™ heel of modern day technology is transfer, Wi-Fi, and 5G speeds.

Another reason to embrace extra small JPEG â€” Wi-Fi, Internet and everything in America is way slower than you might think.

November 13, 2022

Beautiful Eyes

I beautiful eyes; perhaps one of the most important things in your mate?

Why? When you have kids, youâ€™re going to be looking at their eyes a lot. And Seneca, I find one of his most beautiful attribute to be his eyes.

November 13, 2022

Bring Back the Facebook Poke!

Seneca loves to poke stuff with sticks!

November 13, 2022

Think OUTSIDE the Frame

BEYOND the frame.

November 13, 2022

The Spear Bearer

November 13, 2022

Mobile Office

November 13, 2022

Audi Q5 Plugin Hybrid is Cool

November 13, 2022

Analyze Your Images

November 13, 2022

HARDER VLOG

EK

November 13, 2022

HARDER.

Since Vietnam in 2017, the peak of my powers, have I gotten harder, or softer? I think I have gone softer. 2022 and beyond, time to go four-fold harder.

November 13, 2022

Physical Play

November 12, 2022

ERIC KIM IS SWOLE.

EK

November 12, 2022

Being richer doesnâ€™t actually afford you a happier life

If youâ€™re too rich, it causes undue stress.

How rich is rich enough? I say at least 1 (or two) Lamborghinis in the bank (either $250,000 or $500,000) saved in your bank account â€” liquid cash.

November 12, 2022

Thinner and more muscular â€” iPhone Air Concept // Thinner is Better

Video

EK

November 12, 2022

When in doubt, think thinner

November 12, 2022

A technology that doesnâ€™t require email?

November 12, 2022

How to become more interesting

First of all, speak your mind. No political correctness and no notions of what is proper.

Second, get into hypelifting. The louder you get the more interesting you are.

Third, ironically enough you become more interesting based on what you do not have. For example, the most interesting person doesnâ€™t own a phone, doesnâ€™t own a car, and is also not on social media. Also doesnâ€™t check their email.

November 12, 2022

The Zen of Meat

Meat meditation:

November 12, 2022

HOW TO LIVE A VIRTUOUS LIFE IN THE SUBURBS

AUDIO

HOW TO LIVE A VIRTUOUS LIFE IN THE SUBURBS

Go to a gym of some kind every day, ‘island hopping’, and also, eat more meat!

PODCAST

EK

November 12, 2022

SLEEVELESS; THE RIGHT TO “BARE” ARMS

November 12, 2022

ON LIVING WITH OTHERS

VID

Better to live with others.

AUDIO

PODCAST

Living with others is more ‘drama’, but superior!

EK

November 12, 2022

JUST FOLLOW YOUR GUT

EK

November 12, 2022

On Living the â€œBestâ€ Life

EK

November 12, 2022

How to Build Your Own Self Brand

Think long.

Podcast

EK

BECOME A PHOTOGRAPHY ENTREPRENEUR

Advice I would have given myself in photography, if I started all over again:

Until You Own Yourself You Can’t Be Free

Photography Entrepreneurship 101 by ERIC KIM

De-lamify the future.

Photography Entrepreneurship 101 Presentation by ERIC KIM

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ENTREPRENEURSHIP by KIM

eric kim melbourne benjamin thompson — ERIC KIM x HENRI NECK STRAP

Enroll in my Udemy Course:

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Put a Dent in the Universe.

How to Succeed as an Entrepreneur

The Modern Photographer: Tips, Strategies, and Tactics to Thrive as a Visual Artist in the Digital Age

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Photography Blogging

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MONEY 101

November 12, 2022

Donâ€™t be a nerd

November 12, 2022

ERIC KIM MEAT MEDITATION : BEEF BRISKET ASMR

MORE MEAT!

PODCAST

Audio

EK

November 12, 2022

SOLO ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Solo is the way:

PODCAST

EK

Audio

SOLO ENTREPRENEURSHIP

November 12, 2022

I am the only rich person I know who uses an iPhone SE, and also doesnâ€™t own a car.

November 12, 2022

iPhone Air

My concept for iPhone Air; make it thinner than iPhone mini and even thinner than iPhone SE.

Product line of wise, just get rid of the iPhone SE, and replace it with iPhone Air. Make it more expensive, starting at $499, or $599 dollars.

This would be a smart product strategy, as millennials like myself who love to buy every single new Apple product last for something lighter and thinner and sexier.

For example, I donâ€™t know, but maybe Apple is working on bringing back the 11 inch or 12 inch MacBook, something hopefully even thinner than the MacBook Air. Maybe what they could call it is the MacBook Nano.

Have you ever got carpal tunnel from texting too much?

Most people do not have huge hands. To make a device smaller, and thinner is a good idea, the goal is whether you could text message with your nondominant hand.

Even apparently about a year or two ago, Kanye West got steroid injections in his carpal tunnel muscle area, as he injured it from texting too much.

Even now, the bad trend of iPhone and iPhone Pro is to make it bigger, heavier, thicker, and more powerful. What we do not need is more power, what we need is more lightness.

Reduce the battery size

Truth be told, nowadays all smart phones last a full day, even my iPhone SE under heavy use. Most people donâ€™t even need an all day battery, most people are either commuting to work in their car, in which your iPhone is charging, or they are at work, where their iPhone is charging, or they are at home, where their iPhone is charging.

What is the upside of having a thinner phone?

The upside is that the thinner your phone, and the lighter your phone, the more productive you are. Why? You could hold the phone in your hand longer, to talk more. Or less fatigue when holding out your phone during FaceTime.

Also, the thinner and lighter your phone, you can text message more efficiently. Also, the smaller the screen, the easier it is for your fingers to travel across the screen, thus using a smaller phone might actually be advantageous in terms of increasing your words per minute when texting on your phone.

November 12, 2022

Impossibly thin

A design ethos; build things and streamline things to make things as thin as humanly possible.

For example, I would love to one day see an iPhone Air, something that is even thinner than iPhone SE or thinner than iPhone mini.

November 12, 2022

The best life is the life most conducive to thinking

That means, maximum time outdoors, not being stuck in the office, being self-employed as a sole proprietor, freedom of schedule, low maintenance lifestyle, in order to free up mental space to think more interesting and critical thoughts.

Step one is start your own business, or own your own business, and only be the solo head of it. No employees.

Why is it bad to have employees, managers, or other workers? Because you still must manage your manager, and also manage your employees. For the most part, managing is annoying, and mind expensive. I barely got enough time to think about myself, let alone others.

November 12, 2022

Your OwnThoughts are Supreme

November 12, 2022

Cold vs Warm People

November 12, 2022

Become a taste maker.

November 12, 2022

How to Build an Insanely Epic Back

I think I got the most epic back out of anyone I know.

How? Some thoughts and methods:

The methods

Insanely heavy rack pulls
Insanely heavy back squat
Weighted chin-ups

November 12, 2022

ERIC KIM GOD MODE

How to build an insanely epic back:

November 12, 2022

What do we want from life?

November 12, 2022

IT ALL SUCKS ;; MAD MAX SOCIETY — MAKE THE BEST OUT OF IT!

VIDEO

AUDIO

PODCAST

Rather than trying to find the perfect place, take your inferior place, and extract the maximum out of it!

EK

November 12, 2022

YOUR READING OF PEOPLE IS ACCURATE.

I think I am very accurate when psycho-analyzing people.

November 12, 2022

CREATIVE CHEATING

The funny bias in America;

We are too focused on the notion of ‘cheating’.

November 12, 2022

Good Life

November 12, 2022

NEWS: Insanely Bold

Yo wussup streettogs this is ERIC KIM â€” some thoughts for you:

â€œWe on Bezos trips to Lagosâ€ – Kanye

The first random thought on my mind when I woke up was some random thoughts on Kanye West and Jeff Bezos. Especially, the new Jeff Bezos book, Invent and wander.
First of all, why is Jeff Bezos so hated or seen with disdain? My thought is that it is because people want some sort of Christ to crucify; they themselves feel some sort of lack of direction and purpose in their lives, and they are partly envious of the success of Amazon and Jeff Bezos. Therefore, as a way to allay their own personal dissatisfaction of themselves, they need to find somebody to throw rocks at, namely Jeff Bezos, and maybe the Google bus.

Creating jobs, or losing jobs?

I find it very bizarre how it is often people from affluent backgrounds who talk the most about inequality and the â€œpoorâ€œ working class. Why is this? I believe this comes from a strange Judeo Christian notion of having to â€œatoneâ€œ for your privilege.

Anyways, back to Jeff Bezos. I find it insanely phenomenal that back in 1997, when I was only nine years old, Jeff Bezos had such a crisp vision for the future. He is probably one of the most forward thinking and intelligent people out there, with the greatest balls.

Also hilarious to think about back in 1997, even the notion of â€œWall Streetâ€œ, which is essentially a non-concept nowadays. People have replaced the notion of â€œWall Street with â€œventure capitalâ€ and â€œSilicon Valleyâ€, which I also believe is on the way out. Why? Like my friend Alexander Morgan said, there are no more new ideas in Silicon Valley.

We all need optimism

The reason why I am still bullish on bitcoin is that it is insanely motivational and optimistic. Even if it is a poor technology and perhaps a non-viable form of future currency, I think everyone needs some sort of thing to aspire to. All of capitalism is predicated on the notion of optimism, of a more beautiful and prosperous future.

Making versus working

Another thought, about the notion of â€œworkâ€. What is work, and why does it matter?

The first thought I had was the notion of the news, which is essentially a made up word of the word â€œnewâ€ + â€œsâ€. Also when you think about the concept of a newsletter, it is a bunch of letters youâ€™re sending as news.

Then I thought about my workshops, the notion of a workshop is made up of two words, work + shop. We all know what a shop is, but what is work?

The best definition that I got from studying wiktionary.org was that work comes from the ancient Greek of â€œErgon,â€ which also means battle. Hilariously enough, if you think about the modern notion of ergonomically, kinesis keyboards, etc, you could think of an ergonomic keyboard as like going into modern day battle. The funny notion of being a â€œkeyboard warriorâ€œ, seems to be apt here.

But more precisely, â€œwergâ€â€” in Proto Indo European means to make.

Therefore, if you think of a workshop, it is literally a place where somebody makes stuff. For example, a carpenterâ€™s workshop is literally a place where they make furniture.

If you think about jobs, it seems that what most people do nowadays is send emails for a living. To send emails, respond to emails, make PowerPoint presentations, sit in boring zoom call meetings, etc. This is what we think of modern day â€œworkâ€.

However, perhaps we should be a little bit more focused on the notion of making. That in order to create new value, we just have to make new stuff.

What do you want to make?

I believe in the notion of being a solo entrepreneur, which is, you donâ€™t have to rely on anybody else to make stuff. That, you are a full stack solution, a full stack creator.

The insanely optimistic thought is that if it is all on you, you have 100% freedom. 100% creative freedom, especially if you own your own website and do not rely on social media.

A funny thought experiment about social media, if I promised you that you could get 100 million followers, and 100 million likes, and make $10 million a year and brand endorsements, but you would have to chop off your balls, or your penis, would you do it? Probably not. Would you do it for $1 billion? $10 billion? $100 billion? $1 trillion? Probably not.

Website vlog

How to make more

Digital is the way. I think analog is for suckers. What does that mean? That means a lot of people who are so stuck on having to do everything analog is a sign of lack of self-confidence. Why are photographers so insistent on shooting film? Besides the fact that film photos look more beautiful, I think the real main reason is that people desire some sort of self legitimacy for themselves, or a way to flex. For example, nobody takes photographers seriously, but, if you tell people you shot on film, people will automatically think you are more legitimate. Why? Everyone can make a photo on their iPhones, but not everyone can make a photo on film. Film is more mysterious and complicated and confusing, which gives it its mystique and allure.

Whenever I go hiking, and I see some sort of lame looking guy with some sort of mustache, dad cap, flannel shirt, and a film camera, it just reeks of lack of self-confidence.

We must become the new creative barbarians. What we do is delight in destroying the old, and becoming more fanatical about the new. In fact, there are a lot of things superior about analog approaches, we all know this already. I think it actually takes more courage and is more interesting to rather innovate new digital tools methods and creations. For example, 3-D modeling (Nomad sculpt), iPad, procreate, etc.

Just make it

Just make it and share it on arsbeta.com â€” your new creative playground.

Also just share to your own website and blog, or directly message the videos photos and artistic things to your friends and family. I just recommend sending it to them via iMessage, which syncs well with the iPhone and iPad. In fact, something that Iâ€™ve been doing more recently is Reviewing and flagging and favoriting all my favorite photos on the iPad, with the built-in photos app, and then when I like certain photos, I will directly send it to my family in our iMessage group chat.

Shout out to the Photos team, and the iPad team at Apple. You guys rock.

ERIC

Other random thoughts

If you have about $130,000 to spare, better to buy a used Rolls-Royce than a Tesla model S or model X plaid. Applied is great but boring. The greater flex to pull up in a used Rolls-Royce, playing peekaboo with the emblem (Pusha T) than be another drone in a Tesla. Are also funny enough, even though I have a kid and Iâ€™d like to do road trips and go to the mountains, I actually prefer sedans. Over SUVs. Why? Closer to the ground. Just go on craigslist and look for used Rolls-Royce is in the auto in cars section, you would be surprised how cheap they are.
Hypelifting is the way. Just watch my videos on YouTube (Search ERIC KIM HYPELIFTING).

Next steps

Read Invent and Wander â€” Jeff Bezos â€” Walter Isaacson
Zero to one by Peter thiel

Live bold.

Life only happens once. ERIC KIM WORK SHOP in HADONG SOUTH KOREA.

Tentative Dates: June 19-23rd, 2023 (Monday to Friday).

Ask your manager, your wife, your partner, your family members whether these dates work for you. I would request trying to takeoff at least one or two weeks, spend some time both in Hadong South Korea, as well as Seoul South Korea. If you are really gutsy, do you like my friend Stan Hudecki who bought a one-way ticket to Incheon international airport, ICN, and then spent about a month in Bangkok Thailand.

Register intent here.

What is the workshop going to be? Essentially imagine a Zen creative retreat, for you to get away from the nonsense of work and other distracting duties, and for you to send out, and focus on your own creative and artistic thriving. Also, something about the mountain elevation I think stimulates creation of extra red blood cells like my friend Anton said.

Even if youâ€™re 1% interested, register intent on this Google form here, and I will update you as details firm up.

How to go bold?

ERIC KIM PRODUCTS

Iâ€™m your #1 photo supplier:

ERIC KIM WRIST STRAP MARK II: #RICOHMAFIA
ERIC KIM NECK STRAP (MARK II): I put my soul on the line
HENRI WRIST STRAP PRO: Go heavier.
HENRI NECK STRAP MARK IV: The ultimate in wabi-sabi
HENRI SHOULDER STRAP: Become the phantom, become the ghost.

EK SHOP

Other spirited thoughts

Iâ€™ve been going to Barnes & Noble a lot with Seneca more recently, just for fun Zâ€™s and taking the escalator up and down. Yet, after looking at all these books, none of them are good. Even the philosophy books are bad. Instead, it looks like the only really useful books are the DK illustrated picture books for kids. Good to stir the imagination.
It looks like Silicon Valley is imploding. Perhaps it is no longer a good idea to study computer science. Instead, study sociology.

ERIC KIM BLOG

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ERIC KIM TURBO NEWS

November 12, 2022

How to Start a Business

In one of Nassim Talebâ€˜s talks at the American university in Beirut he talks about rather than â€œtrying to change the worldâ€ maybe it is better to start a business instead.

How-to-Start-a-Business Download

Why start a business?

My main thought is that because your personality and approach is so unique, there is no traditional â€œjobâ€ out there which suits you. And when reality doesnâ€™t conform to your way, you must create a new reality.

Conceptions and misconceptions about starting your own business

First of all, I donâ€™t think you need to incorporate as an LLC, or any of these other nonsensical tax filings. I think these are more conceptions by big corporations trying to game the tax system. The easiest way is just file as a sole proprietor, something you could easily do on TurboTax. In fact, I am a huge fan of TurboTax because it demystifies a lot of stuff on filing. In the early days, I had a private tax guy, and he was very good, and helped me learn some basic things on tax filing, but truth be told, I think TurboTax is better, because it is more straightforward, and also the user interface is very fun and friendly, and also very straightforward. The more middleman you could cut out of your business, the better.

So how do I start?

The biggest confusion that I had when starting my own business was this, at what point am I â€œincorporatedâ€ as a business?

If you are a sole proprietor, that means that you are the solo entrepreneur, the only person working for your company and yourself. I best prefer this approach, as it simplifies things. Whenever needed, you can still get contractors, and file them as contractors on your taxes, but for the most part, I like the idea that you are the only head of your company, the only solo human being who builds, and makes everything.

If you have an idea, and you have a website, or have started building a website, youâ€™ve begun!

Thus, the simple answer is this:

You donâ€™t need to do anything special, or file anything special to incorporate yourself as a business. You just start. And then later, when you do your taxes at the year end, you file as sole proprietor.

Why is America so friendly for entrepreneurs?

I remember that I was doing a workshop in Stockholm Sweden, and I was talking to one of my students, who was attempting to start his own photography business. From what I gather, it was insanely complicated.

I think the reason why America is so friendly towards entrepreneurs, entrepreneurship, and starting your own business is this; the strength of the American economy is precisely because it is so easy for so many people to start their own business.

Consider, all of the great American businesses that rule the world, Apple, Amazon, Google, now Tesla, etc.

Most of the founders of these companies were just a single nerd, or two nerds, starting off in their moms garage or basement. Also note that all of the mega companies and corporations and businesses that are created nowadays our technological one; what is technology? Technology is simply a technique, an approach, to leverage more humans to do things more efficiently. Almost anything you do is a technology. For example, sharing new photography techniques, is technology and technique. One of the big things that I personally innovated is discovering new street photography techniques, and sharing them with the world.

Money

There are basic things, like paying the rent, and feeding yourself, and paying for your Wi-Fi subscription.

The first very very very very simple thought is this; reduce your rent to an absolute minimum. Ideally $500 USD a month or less. Paying more than $500 USD a month in rent seems too expensive.

Then, what are practical strategies? Practical strategies include getting roommates, living at your parents home and paying rent, or moving abroad. For example, great places to live with cheap rent include Hanoi Vietnam, Saigon, Phnom Penh Cambodia, Bangkok Thailand, funny enough me and Cindy were actually able to rent a nice apartment in Kyoto Japan for only $500 USD a month!

How much money do you need to earn?

A big thing that Iâ€™ve discovered is this; for the most part, money is inconsequential. What does that mean? That means, Lamborghinis are for suckers and losers, the Ricoh GR 3X digital camera is the best digital camera, and the only useful Apple device is the iPad Pro. Beyond this, the only thing I spend money on is coffee and meat, my favorite is going to the Costco business Center and getting beef brisket and beef ribs.

Should I read any literature on building a business?

Iâ€™ve read hundreds of books on business, marketing, entrepreneurship, etc. Out of all these, the only books which have been useful to me:

Biography on Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
Zero to one by Peter Thiel
Invent and wander by Jeff Bezos

More useful is reading books on philosophy. For example, stoicism is good because it teaches you mental fortitude to not give a â€œFâ€ about the successes or failures of your business. In fact, the philosophical truth is that there is no such thing as success and failure, only feedback.

Also a more recent innovation, hypelifting. Rather than watching some boring documentary on building a business, or reading some Y Combinator or hacker news propaganda on boring ways to build and sell the business, better to just go to the gym and attempt a hypelift.

What does this mean? I have a theory; in order to become a successful entrepreneur, there is much courage involved. And I believe the physical courage is inseparable from mental courage. Or soul courage.

That is, the number one thing you could prioritize when attempting or starting your own business, or during the journey of building your business and your own solo media empire is this â€” augment your physical courage.

More ERIC KIM ENTREPRENEURSHIP 101 >

November 12, 2022

How to Start Hypelifting

I might have been the first to have coined the term or concept of hypelifting. Basically the notion is this; before you attempt a new personal record of a very very heavy weight at the gym, get insanely loud, slap yourself in the face chest and thighs, and then attempt the lift.

Some visuals include the all blacks Maori haka dance before a battle, and the heroic spartan 300s before going to battle (watch the movie 300 by Zack Snyder on repeat), or Ronnie Coleman getting pumped up and saying â€œlightweight baby!â€ before attempting a heavy lift.

Or, imagine Goku going super Saiyan for the first time.

Get insanely loud

15 seconds ERIC KIM HYPELIFTING MICRO SQUAT (545 POUNDS)

The first bias I discovered in modern day society is that one is not allowed to be loud or become loud. That especially when you go to the gym, you stick in those silly AirBuds into your ears, which I call ear condoms, and, the goal is to be as antisocial as possible, and as quiet as possible.

The reason why I think it is very important to get insanely loud before attempting a very very heavy lift is this; by hyping yourself up, you increase your blood flow, your testosterone, and other hormones which might help you gain a small advantage in successfully lifting a very very heavy thing.

For example, a six plate rack pull. For me, 99.9% of the joy of lifting weights is the thrill of attempting to lift something very very heavy that you have never attempted before, irregardless of whether you are successful or not. I in this way, all that matters is your courage, your audacity, your chutzpah and your balls.

November 12, 2022